Israeli president asked Olmert to be next PM

Israeli President Moshe Katsav today formally chose Ehud Olmert to form Israel’s next government, and Olmert said he would work to quickly put together a coalition that was committed to carrying out his West Bank withdrawal plan.

During the campaign, Olmert said he planned to pull Israel out of much of the West Bank, while strengthening Israel’s control of major settlement blocs and drawing the state’s final borders by 2010.

“These plans will be the basis of the government’s operations,” Olmert said. “I believe this is also known to all the potential partners and there is no doubt we will act in this way.”

Katsav said 78 members of Israel’s 120-member Knesset recommended that Olmert be chosen as the next prime minister. Olmert’s centrist Kadima Party won 29 seats in last week’s parliamentary elections, the most of any party.

“I am honored to announce at this time that I decided to give politician Ehud Olmert the responsibility of forming the government,” Katsav said at the beginning of a joint news conference with Olmert.

Olmert, who has served as acting prime minister since Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke January 4, has 28 days to try to put together a governing coalition of at least 61 politicians. If he fails, he can ask for a two-week extension.

“I ask that you all be patient, but I promise we will try to do this as quickly as possible,” he said.

He said he would try to include a cross-section of parties from across Israel’s political spectrum in his government.

“It is not easy to form a coalition that is stable, that enjoys a secure majority that can last a full term,” he said.

Katsav, Israel’s ceremonial president, met in recent days with representatives of all the Knesset parties. No one recommended another candidate for prime minister, he said.

Katsav said that he wanted Olmert to form a broad coalition.